WINGS to Induct 11th Class Into Hall of Honor

The Washington School District WINGS Educational Foundation will induct its 11th class into the Hall of Honor Saturday, Sept. 28.

The WINGS Hall of Honor was formed to recognize alumni, community contributors and educators who have shown exceptional personal, community or professional achievement.

WINGS hopes that the stories of those honored will inspire and motivate current and future students of the district.

A formal dinner to honor the recipients will be held at the Washington KC Hall. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $50 per person with tables of eight available.

The event is open to the public. Reservations may be made by mailing a check payable to the WINGS Educational Foundation, Hall of Honor, P.O. Box 203, Washington, MO 63090.

This year’s inductees are as follows:

Mary Phyllis Edler

Alumni Award

Phyllis Edler was born in Mississippi and moved to Washington when she was in sixth grade. She is a 1967 graduate of Washington High School.

After high school, Edler went on to pursue nursing school. She attended Deaconess School of Nursing in St. Louis and managed the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Mercy Hospital in Washington.

As an ER manager, she not only helped patients, but stayed after hours to talk to them and offer comfort. Edler specifically focused on her patients and cared for each one individually. Her heart belonged in nursing, as she was in the business for 30 years with Mercy.

Her career didn’t limit itself to the hospital walls. Elder spent 32 years speaking to teenagers about the facts surrounding sexually transmitted infections and diseases. She traveled all over the state giving presentations to middle and high school students, as well as clubs, organizations, and any group (teens or adults) that requested her.

Edler was brutally honest with her audiences when giving these presentations because she knew it could save their lives. She stressed with them that sex is not a game. She used blunt language, shocking statistics and some graphic images to make sure the youth were fully informed about the real consequences that could come from a decision to be sexually active.

She was very serious about helping those in need, especially youth.

Edler volunteered her time and traveled throughout Missouri and Illinois delivering her important message.

She is now retired and resides in Union with her husband, Ray. Phyllis has three children, Becky, Tim and Judy, and eight grandchildren.

Rich Deppe

Community

Contributor Award

Rich Deppe was born in Washington in 1955, and is a 1973 graduate of Washington High School. He is currently the co-owner of Deppe Farms in Washington.

Through his farm work, Deppe has donated countless hours of his time and too many hogs to count.

Deppe has been a member of the Elks Club since 1976 and was a member of the Washington Fair Board from 1981 to 1990. During his last year on the board, Deppe was chairman of the 1990 Washington Town & Country Fair — “Pullin’ Together.”

In 1991, Deppe took the initiative and spearheaded a committee of citizens for quality education which would require a tax increase for the Washington School District.

His involvement in the Washington community doesn’t stop there. From 1992 to 1998, he served on the Washington School Board. He was part of the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce from 2009 to 2015, serving as chairman of the board of directors in 2014.

In addition, he served on the Franklin County FFA Foundation from 1996 to 2015.

Deppe still makes plenty of time to be involved in the Washington community. He has been a Washington Lions member since 2004, a Washington MFA board member for 28 years, currently as president, and has been on the Citizens Bank Board since 2007.

Deppe’s involvement and work ethic does not go unnoticed. He has received countless awards and honors throughout his lifetime.

Deppe received the 1993 Friends of Education CTA/NEA award, the 1996 National FFA Organization award, the 2013 Washington High School Athletic Association Appreciation award and the Washington Honorary Chapter FFA Degree award in 2017 and 2018.

Deppe and his wife, Dawn, live in Washington, and have two children, Nathan and Nicole, and seven grandchildren.

John Carter

Educator Award

John Carter was born in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1935, and is a 1953 graduate of Centralia High School in Missouri.

When he was in high school, Carter was awarded a football scholarship and went on to further his education and athletics at Truman State University (at the time it was Northeast Missouri State). There he earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and his teaching certificate in physical education.

During the same time frame, Carter served in the U.S. Air Force, completing his education upon his discharge.

Carter began his teaching career in Green City, Mo., where he taught physical education, health, driver’s education and coached. He spent two years at Green City before taking a teaching and coaching position at Polo High School for one year.

In 1964, Carter applied for a position at Washington High School where he was hired and taught for 34 years, until his retirement in 1998. For many years, Carter also taught summer school.

As an educator, Carter understood his role did not begin or end in the classroom. He devoted an extraordinary amount of his personal time to ensure his students and players had access to excellent programs and resources to help each one succeed.

Carter spent an immense amount of his time focusing on young athletes and students. He served as an assistant football coach his entire teaching career. He was one of the original football coaches when the football program began at Washington High School.

A great deal of his time and energy were spent helping students and football players improve not only their minds and bodies, but their character.

Coaching was only one of Carter’s passions at Washington High School. He also was instrumental in starting the weightlifting program. He was a leader, took initiative at the high school and was a role model to many other educators and coaches.

John and his wife, Georgia, currently live in Washington and have been married for over 45 years. They have one daughter, Christie, and a son, Tim Hays.